“Why are you here?” Edie asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I needed to talk to you,” Magnus said, slinging the towel off his shoulders and moving toward her again.

“You needed to do a lot of talking a long time ago,” Edie agreed, promptly dropping into a nearby chair that sat alone in a corner. It was a deliberate choice—she didn’t want Magnus scooting closer to her. She didn’t want to get cozy with him; she wanted them to keep their distance, because it made it easier to be mad when she didn’t have to smell his aftershave, or see that gorgeous greenish-gold color that his eyes were.

“That doesn’t change the fact that we need to talk now,” Magnus told her.

“I can’t disagree with that,” she said, clasping her hands in her lap. “Go ahead. Talk. Please, try to make this better.”

Magnus rubbed a hand over his short hair. “I don’t know if I can make it better, but I can at least give you the full picture.”

She forced herself to keep smiling, as if this were a normal conversation and her heart wasn’t breaking at the sight of him. “Go on.”

He gestured at his brother. “I brought Levi, because he needs to do some talking.”

Levi just glared at Magnus, slumped in his chair. For a moment, he looked like a sulky little boy and not like an adult.

“Talk,” Magnus growled.

“Where do you want me to start?”

“The beginning.”

“Fine,” Levi said, clearly exasperated. He straightened in his chair. “I met Bianca at the bridesmaid-and-groomsman-introduction party. I fell in love at the sight of her.”

Edie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew from conversations with Magnus that Levi had a flair for the dramatic.

“Bianca was utterly beautiful,” Levi said, and then he rubbed his eyes. “Sorry. I need a moment.”

Magnus’s jaw set, annoyed. He looked over at Edie as if to say, Do you believe this shit? His expression was met with her utterly blank one, and she heard him sigh.

“Anyhow,” Levi said, exhaling. “Bianca was beautiful and charming and so wonderful. We really clicked that night and we started texting and Skyping. You guys lived a few hours away but I wanted to see her. She told me she couldn’t, that she was utterly devoted to you and that you could need her at any moment, and that she would never leave your side because if you got stranded, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself. She selflessly gives up her time for you.”

“Selflessly,” Edie murmured. What a fucking colossal joke. If there was a selfless person around, it sure wasn’t Bianca.

“I couldn’t work without Bianca,” Levi said, and she saw Magnus roll his eyes. “I wasn’t getting anything done. I had to see her. So I told Magnus I couldn’t work unless there was a plan to distract you. He said he’d participate as long as I got back to work. So I went and had our assistant get the worst-tempered cat from the shelter and bring her home. Magnus called you, and I got to go out with Bianca.” His expression became dreamy. “One time wasn’t enough, though. I needed her, so we kept coming up with ways for Magnus to distract you. We told him he had to take you out on a date.”

“And this didn’t strike you—either of you—as cruel? Or ridiculous? This isn’t the sixteenth century.” Her hands were clasped so tightly in her lap that they ached. “Bianca can go out on a damn date without asking my permission.”

“But she wouldn’t,” Levi said dramatically. “She refused to leave your side.”

Right. Because Bianca had that ridiculous martyr complex where she couldn’t leave Edie alone, because she was too busy proving to herself that she was a decent person despite fucking Edie’s ex.

Her sister had some serious issues.

That didn’t excuse it. “But . . . dating me? Really?” Edie’s lip curled with disgust for Levi. “It couldn’t have just been work related? You couldn’t have set up calls at a shelter? Something to keep me occupied? Why drag your brother into this?”

Levi gave Edie a flat look. “We thought you’d be less of a bitch to everyone if you were in love.” To Edie’s surprise, Magnus turned and hauled Levi out of his chair so fast that her head spun. Magnus had his brother by the collar and was lifting a fist to deck him when Levi threw his hands up. “Wait, wait—”

“We?” Magnus growled, a furious look on his face.

“Me and Bianca,” Levi said, cringing away from Magnus’s fist. “Jesus, bro, calm down!”

“You don’t call Edie a bitch,” he said in a dangerous tone. Then he released Levi, throwing his brother back down in the delicate chair. “Apologize.”

Levi gave Edie an incredulous look, then sighed. “Sorry. You’re not a bitch. You’re just . . . difficult sometimes.”

Magnus raised his fist again.

“Sorry, but she is!” Levi yelped.

“It’s okay,” Edie said, biting the inside of her cheek to not show emotion. She was rather difficult at times. “Please go on.”

“Tell her about your change in plans,” Magnus said. His gaze rested on Edie, and she felt her nipples prick under the intensity of his gaze. He was devouring her with a look, one full of need and yearning and a silent demand for her to yield. “Tell her, Levi.”

Levi made a frustrated noise. “Bianca kept wanting Magnus to distract you more but Magnus came back to me and said he wasn’t going to do it. Said he didn’t want to hurt you.”

And Magnus just kept gazing at her with those hungry, hungry eyes.

“When was this?” She forced herself to look straight ahead, at Levi’s pretty-but-sulky face.

“Couple of weeks ago,” Levi said with a shrug. “I don’t know. Then Bianca freaked out and told me to tell Magnus to back off. Said you guys were getting too close and she didn’t like it. I told Magnus that he needed to stop spending so much time with you.” He gave his brother another wary look and edged back in his seat. “He told me to go fuck myself.”

That time, Edie couldn’t keep the twitch of her lips to herself. “Did he, now?”

“He’s kind of a dick when it comes to you,” Levi said accusingly, then gave his brother a glare. “Don’t deny it.”

“I don’t.” He continued gazing at Edie, still out of his chair and standing in the center of the room. Still watching her, every muscle in his body tense with emotion. “I don’t deny it. I’m protective of Edie. She needs someone who takes care of her. Who has her best interests at heart.”

And now her own heart ached, because the things Magnus was saying were sweet . . . but she couldn’t believe them. She gave a small shake of her head.

“Levi, leave us alone for a few,” Magnus said in a soft voice, and Edie knew if she looked up, he’d still be staring at her. She didn’t look in his direction. Couldn’t. Her gaze remained focused on Levi, her hands still clenched painfully in her lap.

Levi looked at his brother, then at Edie, then flung himself out of his chair. “You two are fucked up,” he said angrily. “I blame you for making Bianca break up with me. Now my muse is gone and I can’t get her back.” He swiped an arm over his eyes again. He seemed to wilt before her eyes. “Edie, I’m sorry. You’re not fucked up. Just Magnus here. I need your help, though. Will you . . . will you put in a good word with Bianca for me?”

“Nope,” she said, voice light, pleasant. “You can go fuck yourself.”

He gave her an indignant look and stormed out of the room.

Then it was just Edie and Magnus, alone in the library. The tension was so thick she could practically feel it prickling over her skin. If he moved a muscle toward her, she was going to fling herself in his arms and either punch him in the face or kiss him on the mouth. She hadn’t quite decided.

After a long, tense moment, Magnus spoke. “He asked me to leave you alone over two weeks ago. I told him I couldn’t. That I wouldn’t ever leave you alone.”

“But . . . why?” Why all the games? Why all the stupid, stupid games?

“Because I love you,” Magnus said, voice full of emotion. “Because somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you and haven’t looked back. Because you’re mine and you belong with me. I won’t let you go without a fight.”